Sanitary individual toilet seat cover



Febl"15,'1944. H. H LFIN 2,342,041;-

SANITARY INbIVIDUAL TOILET SEAT COVER Filed March 25., 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb.'1 5, 1944. H. HALFIN 2,342,

SM IITARY INDIVIDUAL TOILET SEAT COVER Filed Margh 25, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheetv 2 Feb. 15, 1!?44. H. HALFIN 2,342,043

' SANITARY INDIVIDUAL TOILET SEAT COVER- "Filed March 25, 1942 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 mvsw'roii Herman H4! :1:

- BY W Arron/v5? Patented Feb. 15, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SANITARY INDIVIDUQL TOILET SEAT COVER Herman Halfin, New York, N. Y.

Application March 25, 1942, Serial No. 436,125 g 11 Claims. A (01. 194-26) This invention relates to new anduseful improvements in a vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers.

More specifically, the invention proposes the construction of a vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers characterized by a casing having a discharge slot and a coin controlled manual or electric mechanism arranged in a manner to deliver a toilet seat cover from a continuous strip of toilet seat covers located within the casing.

Still further it is proposed to divide the continuous strip of individual toilet seat covers into a plurality of separable covers by the provision of laterally extended lines of slightly elongated perforations between adjacent seat covers in a manner to permit the endmost seat cover to be separated from the continuous roll when projected through the slot in said casing.

Still further it is proposed to provide certain mechanism operable in connection with certain of said elongated perforations for preventing the extension of more than one toilet seat cover for each coin inserted.

It is further proposed toprovide an electrically controlled mechanism for slightly extending the endmost seat cover when a coin is inserted to permit the extended portion to be gripped and pulled for completely extending the said endmost cover.

A further object of the invention proposes the provision of means for freeing the endmost seat cover to be extended through said discharge slot when a coin is inserted into said device.

For further comprehension of this invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth. 7

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the Fig. '7 is a partial vertical sectional view taken on the line 'l'| of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the roll of individual toilet seat covers.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers constructed in accordance with a modification of this invention.

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of Fig. 9 with the front wall of the machine removed.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line I l-l l of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a partial vertical sectional view taken on the line l2-I 2 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 11, partly in section.

Fig. 14 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line l4-I4 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a partial vertical sectional view taken on the line |5| 5 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 16 is a schematic wiring diagram of the device.

The vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers, according to this invention, includes a casing consisting of a body portion 8| adapted to be mounted upon a wall 82 by means of lugs 83. The lugs 83 are formed with openings through which screws 84 are adapted to be passed to be threadedly engaged into the wall 82. The body portion 811 has a removable cover '85 which is provided adjacent its bottom with an elongated horizontal discharge slot 86.

A mirror 81 is mounted upon the cover 85 at a point above the slot 88. This mirror 8'! is preferably constructed of a piece of sheet metal having a highly polished exposed face. Mounted between the mirror 81 and the discharge slot 86 the face of the cover 85 is provided with a plurality of receiving frames 88 in which printed advertising material 89 is adapted to be mounted.

Adjacent one side of the mirror 81 the front cover 85 has the receiving opening 90 of a coin controlled mechanism 9|. Further details of the coin controlled mechanism 9| and the manner in which it is to be used in this invention will be given as this specification proceeds.

Means is provided for releasably retaining the front cover 85 in position upon the body portion 8! of the casing 80. Metallic members 92 are secured upon the bottom side portions of the front cover 85 by means of rivets 93. These metallic members 92 are arranged horizontally and each is provided at its free end with a lug 94 which projects from the bottom edge thereof. The free ends of the metallic members 92 are engageable with complementary keeper members 95 mounted upon the sides of the body portion 8|. The keeper members are in the form of U-shaped brackets mounted upon the body portion by means of rivets 96. These U-shaped brackets 95 form spaces 91 through which the free ends of the metallic members 92 engage to cause their lugs 95 to engage the back edge of the keeper members 95 as shown in Fig. 2.

A look 98 is provided for securing the top portion of the cover 85 in position and to prevent the disengagement of the metallic members 92 from the spaces 91 except if the lock 98 is released. The lock 98 is characterized by a key cylinder 99 mounted upon the cover 85. A bolt I60 projects from the key cylinder and is engageable with a complementary opening Illl in a keeper I02 mounted upon the top wall of the body portion SI of the casing 80. The bolt I has a projecting lug I93 which is adapted to pass through a complementary cutout I04 extending upwards from the opening I0]. When the bolt Illil is turned relative to the keeper I02 and lug I63 will engage behind the keeper I52 and prevent the bolt I90 from being withdrawn from the keeper.

' A web of toilet seat covers W is wound upon a core I95 frictionally mounted upon a shaft I01. The shaft IN is rotatively supported in a pair of spaced brackets Hi8 mounted upon the side walls of the body portion 8I of the casing 80. The web is divided into a continuous line of separable covers I95 by means of laterally extending lines of slightly elongated perforations I99. Each cover has a substantially oval shaped central opening I It.

The endmost seat cover N is extended downwards within the casing 80 over an idler roller I I I mounted upon the back wall of the body portion 8|. This free end is then projected between a pair of feed rollers H2 and then through the slot 86.

A pin bar H3 is vertically slidably mounted at a position adjacent the bottom of the slot 86.

This pin bar H3 is provided at its ends with a plurality of upwardly extending pins H4 which are adapted to project through the remaining portion of the perforations of the endmost seat cover IE5. The free top ends of the pins 4 then are extended into complementary openings II5 formed in a bar H6 mounted upon the cover 85 immediately above the top edge of the slot 86.

The mounting of the pin bar I I3 to permit vertical movement is accomplished by providing a plurality of .pins I I?! which extend from the bottom wall of the body portion 8i and which extend through complementary openings H8 formed in the pin bar H3. The pin bar I 53 is substantially U-shaped in configuration, and certain of the pins I I! engage tl'ie side arms of the pin bar and others engage the intermediate arm. Collars H9 are mounted upon certain of thep'ins I I! for limiting downward movement of the pin bar 3 to a position in which the pins illwill be completely disengaged from the openings II5 formed in the bar H5 and in which their top ends will be disposed beneath the bottom edge of the slot 86. Other of'the pins II? have expansionsprings I29 wound 'coaxially thereon for urging the pin bar H3 in a normal position in which the pins H4 engage into the openings I I5 in the bar I IS. The pin bar H3 is formed of light weight material, and the springs I'Eil are weak in nature, but exert a sufiicient force to raise the pin bar I I3 into its operative position,

A rod I2I controlled by the coin controlled mechanism 9! is provided for lowering the pin bar I I3 to retract its pins I I4 to free the endmost seat cover I95 to be withdrawn through the slot 86. The rod I2! is slidably mounted in brackets I22 and has its bottom end resting upon the top face of the pin bar I I3. More specifically, the rod I is bifurcated beneath the uppermost bracket I22 and has its free end resting upon the side arms of the pin bar I I3.

The coin controlled mechanism 9| is characterized by a container I23 mounted upon the top Wall of the body portion 8|. The container I23 has an internal chute I24 which continues into the receiving opening which is projected through the front cover 85. A coin (indicated by the dotted lines I25 in Fig. 6) is adapted to be passed into the receiving opening 90 to roll down the chute I24. The free end of the rod I2I is projected upwards into the container I23 to assume a position within the bottom portion of the chute i24. The coin I25 15 adapted to pass over and stop upon the free top end of the rod I2l moving it downwards to in turn urge the pin bar I I3 downwards against the holding action of the expansion springs I20. This downward movement of the pin bar II3 frees the endmost seat cover I55 to be projected through the slot 86.

A red I26 is projected into the chute I24 and is adapted to be engaged by the leading edge of the coin I25 to hold the coin I25 over the free top end of the rod I21. This will hold the pin bar II3 retract-ed until such time as the rod I26 is moved to free the coin to roll from the end of the chute permitting the springs I20 to raise the pin bar H3 and rod I2I. Further details of the utility of the rod 26 will be given as this specification proceeds.

The feed rollers I-I2 are mounted upon shafts I2I rotatively extended between the side walls of the body :portion 8I of the casing. One .of the shafts I2? .is extended from one side of the body portion 8| and is provided with a Bakelite knob I28 by which the feed rollers may be manually rotated to eject the endmost seat cover I95. The other :of the shafts I21 .carries a gear I29 which is adapted to'be engaged by a pawl I30. This pawl I35 is mounted upon a bracket I 3I mounted upon the end of the adjacent side arm of the U- shaped pin bar I I3. When the pin bar H3 is in its raised position the pawl I30 engages the teeth of the gear I29 and prevents the rollers I I2 from being turned. When the pin bar H3 is urged downwards by the downward movement of the rod IZ I the pawl I30 will be retracted from its engaged position with the @gear I29, permitting the feed rollers I I2 to be rotated through the unobstructed slot86.

The rod 126 is slidably .mounted .in a pair of brackets I32 mounted upon one side Wall of the body portion BI. The free bottom end of therod I25 is disposed over the center of the web of toilet seat covers I65 and is provided with a weighted cam I33. This cam I33 rests upon the endmost seat cover and retains the top end of the rod I26 in the path traversed by the coin I25. However, as the endmost seat cover I05 is ejected aligning the central opening .I Iii of the endmost cover I with the bottom end of the rod I26, the weighted cam will drop through the central opening IIO withdrawing the top end of the rod I2 5, permit ting the coin I25 to roll down the chute I24 and free the rod I2I and the pin bar H3. A collar I34 is mounted upon the rod I26 and is adapted to enga e one of the brackets I32 to limit downward movement of the rod I26 to a position in which the weighted cam will be partially prol'ected through the central opening H and in which the top end of the rod I20 will be completely withdrawn from the path traversed by the coin I25.

As the end of the central opening III], in the endmost seat cover I approaches the weighted cam, the material of the cover I05 adjacent the end of the opening III] will again raise the rod I26 into its operative position. It will be noted that the pins H4 are mounted only on the ends of the pin bar H3 and when this bar H3 is released, the pins H4 are adapted to bear against the bottom face of the seat cover being withdrawn, preventing the pins II 4 from reentering the opening I I5 and preventing the pawl I30 from engaging the gear I29. The pins H4 will retain this position until such time as the next complete line of perforations I09 become aligned with the pins H4, and then the pin bar H3 will be urged completely upwards by the springs I causing the pins I I4 to enter the opening I I5 and the pawl I to be reengaged with the gear I23 locking the device, but permitting the endmost seat I05 to be torn from the web along the line of perforations I09 now engaged by the pins I I5. This operation limits the machine to eject only one seat cover for one coin.

Means is provided for causing the endmost seat cover I05 to be slowly ejected from the slot 86 affording the parts of the machine an ample opportunity to operate as described to limit the device to eject only one seat cover at a time. This means comprises a brake mechanism I mounted upon the shaft I01 supporting the roll of toilet seat covers I05. A brake drum I35 is mounted upon the shaft I01 and is encircled by a brake band I31. A lug I38 projects from the band I31 and is mounted upon the side wall of the body portion 8| by means of rivets I 39. The ends of the band I31 are directed away from the drum I36 and a screw I engages these ends threadedly for drawing the ends of the band I31 together to tightly engage the drum I36 and frictio-nally retain the shaft I01 from rotating too rapidly.

The operation of this invention is as follows:

A coin is passed into th receiving opening 90 to roll down the chute I24 and be stopped by the top end of the rod I23 over the top end of the rod I2I. This will cause the rod I 2| to be depressed urging the pin bar H3 downwards disengaging the pins H4 from the openings H5 and the pawl I30 from the gear I29. The knob I28 may now be rotated for rotating the feed rollers II 2 to eject the endmost seat cover I05. As the cover is being ejected, the weighted cam will drop into the central opening, moving the rod I25 downwards freeing the coin I25 to discharge from the end of the chute I24 and collect within the container I 23. This will free the pin bar II3 to move upwards until its pins I I4 engage against the bottom face of the cover I05 being ejected. As the next complete line of perforations I09 approaches the pins I I4, the pins will pass through these perforations and enter the openings H5. Simultaneous with this movement of the pins H4, the pawl I30 will reengage the gear I29 and completely look the machine to prevent the nextseat cover from being ejected unless another coin is inserted into the receiving opening.

The ejected seat cover may then be torn from the web along the line of perforations I I9 engaged by the pins I I4.

The vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers, according to a modification of this invention shown in Figs. 9 to 16, comprises a casing I0 consisting of a body portion II adapted to be mounted on a wall I2 by means of lugs I I The body portion I I has a removable front cover I3. The front cover I3 is provided with a discharge slot III for seat covers adjacent the bottom thereof. A mirror I5 is mounted upon the cover I3 at a point above the slot I4. Between the slot I4 and the mirror I5 the front cover I3 is provided with a plurality of receiving frames in which printed advertising material Ic is adapted to be mounted. Adjacent one side of the mirror I5 the front cover I3 has the receiving opening I0 of a coin controlled mechanism I'I.

Means is provided for releasably attaching the cover I3 in position across the open front of the body II. This means comprises angle members I8 mounted upon the top and bottom walls of the body I I. These angle members It have one of their arms arranged to extend along the back face of the cover I3 and each of these arms is provided with a central threaded opening I9. Screws 20 are freely engaged through openings formed in the top and bottom portions of the front cover I3 and are threadedly engaged into the openings III.

A roll of toilet seat covers 2I is fixedly mounted upon a shaft 22 rotatively supported between a pair of spaced brackets 23. The brackets 23 are securely mounted upon the side walls of the body II at a point substantiall above the discharge slot I4. The roll of seat covers 2| is characterized by a continuous strip of covers 24 which are separated from each other by laterally extended lines of slightly elongated perforations 25' which permit the covers to be separated from the continuous roll by tearing along these lines of perforations 25'.

As shown in Fig. 11 the endmost seat cover 24 extends downwards within the casing I0 and has its free end extended through a pair of superimposed feed rollers 25 to discharge through the slot I4. The feed rollers 25 are fixedly attached to shafts 23 which are rotatively supported between the side walls of the casing I 0.

Electrically controlled means is provided for slightly ejecting the free end of the endmost toilet seat cover 24 slightly from the slot I4 permitting the end to be gripped for completel pulling this endmost seat cover through the slot so that it may be separated from the roll of covers 2 I This means comprises an electrically controlled solenoid 21 mounted upon the side walls of the easing .0.

The mounting of the solenoid 21 is accomplished by means Of brackets 28 extended from the side walls of the casing. The solenoid 21 has a core 28 of magnetic material completely extended therethrough and which connects at its bottom end with a yoke 29 of non-magnetic material. The yoke 29 comprises a horizontal bar 30 attached to the bottom of the core 28' of the solenoid. The ends of the horizontal bar 30 continue into downwardly extending side arms 3I. One arm 3I is provided on one of its faces with rack teeth 32 which mesh with a gear 33 mounted upon the lowermost shaft 26 supporting the lowermost feed roller 25.

The gear 33 is freel rotatively supported upon the shaft 23 and means is provided for locking the gear to the shaft when turned in one direction for rotating the feed roller 25 when the core of the solenoid is moved downwards. This means comprise a ratchet wheel 34 fixedly mounted upon the shaft 26 adjacent one side of the gear 33. A pawl 35 is mounted upon the adjacent face of the gear 33 and engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 35. A spring 36 is provided for urging the pawl 35 into continuous engagement with the ratchet wheel 3%. When a coin is inserted into the receiving opening it of the coin controlled mechanism H it closes a circuit, as will be hereinafter described, to energize the solenoid 21 and urge the arms 3! downwards, causing the gear 33 to be rotated. The pawl 35 on the gear 33 wil1 engage the ratchet wheel 34 and rotate the feed rollers 25 to slightly eject the endmost toilet seat cover 24 through the slot i l.

Springs 31 operate between the brackets 28 and the horizontal arm 3%] of the yoke 29 for drawing the yoke 29 upwards when the current to the solenoid 27 is cut ofi. On the return movement of the yoke 29 the gear 33 will be turned in the opposite direction and the pawl 35 will merely idle over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 34, so that the feed rollers will not be turned to draw the projected end or" the endmost seat cover into the casing it.

A pin bar 38 is vertically slidably mounted at a position adjacent the bottom of the slot is. This pin bar is provided at its ends with a plurality of pins 39 which are adapted to engage the side perforations of the line of perforations 25' for preventing the ejection of more than one toilet seat cover on an one operating cycle of the device. This pin bar 35 is mounted in such a manner that its pins 39 are adapted to engage into complementary openings ii! formed in a bar 41 mounted upon the front cover is adjacent the top of the slot i l.

The mounting of the pin bar 3% to permit vertical movement thereof is accomplished by means of a plurality of pins mounted upon the bot tom wall of the bod i l and extended freel into openings 43 formed in the pin bar 33. Certain of the pins A2 are provided with collars M for limiting downward movement of the pin bar 3&3 to positions in which the pins 39 will be completely disengaged from the openings at and in which their top ends will be disposed beneath the bottom of the slot it. Other of the pins &2 have expansion springs t coaxially mounted thereon for urging the pin bar 58 into its normal operative position.

lvieans is provided for urging the pin bar 38 downwards and is controlled by the solenoid 21 to free the endmost toilet seat cover it to be slightly ejected through the slot it. This means comprises an arm to for each of the side arms 3! of the yoke 23. These arms 66 have their bottom ends resting on the top face of the pin bar 36 and have their top ends t? bent at right angles into the body thereof and extended through a slot 53 formed in the side of the arms 3%. Springs 4% are mounted within the slots 43 and operate between the top wall of the slots A?! and the inwardly bent ends 4? of the arms flit for urging them into an operative position to cause the bottom ends to engage the top face of the pin bar.

When the solenoid 2'? is energized and the yolze moves downwards the arms will move therewith to urge the pin bar 38 downwards until its bottom face rests upon the collars 4%. Further downward movement of the arms 36 will be arrested and as the yoke 29 continues downwards the springs 39 will be compressed permitting the yoke29 to move downwards independently of the arms 46. When the pin bar 38 rests on the collars 54 the pins 39 will be withdrawn from the openings 43 and will have their top ends disposed beneath the slot I4, leaving the slot free to permit the endmost seat cover to be slightly projected therethrough.

After the toilet seat cover has been slightly projected therethrough it is adapted to be gripped and pulled for completely extending the same to permit it to be separated from the roll of covers adjacent the next complete line of perforations 25.

In Fig. 16 the operating circuit for controlling the movement of the yoke 29 is illustrated. This circuit includes a portion of the track of the coin control mechanism ll down which a coin, illustrated by the dot and dash lines 5|, is adapted to roll. An electric switch 52 is mounted upon the bottom wall of the track it and is adapted to be closed when the coin 5! rolls thereover. A pair of electric leads 53 and 54 extend from the switch 52. The lead 53 is connected with one pole of a source of power and the lead 5 extends to one end of a solenoid 55. A lead 56 extends from the other end of the solenoid and connects with the other pole of the source of power. The solenoid 55 has a core 57 supporting a switch element 58 which is adapted to extend across a pair of contacts 58 when the core 57 is raised by the energizing of the solenoid 55.

A lead it extends from one of the contacts 59 and connects with one end of the solenoid 27. A lead 6! extends from the other end of the solenoid 2'! and connects with one pole of a source of power. A lead 62 extends from the other pole of the source of power and extends through a time switch 63 to the other contact 59. Thus when the switch member 53 is raised to close the contacts 55), this circuit will be completed and the solenoid 2'! will be energized to move its core 28 downwards. The time switch 83 is associated with a mechanism for holding the switch element 58 in its closed position for a predetermined length of time even though the switch 52 opens and the solenoid 55 is de-energized. This means comprises a pivotally mounted latch member 64 which is adapted to engage beneath the switch member 58 in its raised position and which is urged into an operative position by a spring 65. Means is provided for counteracting the action of the spring 65 to pivot the latch member'fitl and release the switch element 53 after a predetermined time has elapsed to permit the switch element 58 to move away from the contacts 59. A spring 66 is provided for moving the switch ele ment 53 to its open position.

The means for counter-acting the action of the spring 55 comprises a solenoid 61 having its core 68 pivotally attached to the side of the catch element 64 opposed to the spring 65. A lead :9 extends from one side of the solenoid 5i through the time switch 63 and connects with one pole of a source of power.

A second lead it extends from the other side of the solenoid 67 and connects with the other pole of a source of power. These electrical circuits are so arranged that they cause the solenoid 2? to be energized for a sufiicient length of time to slightly urge the pin bar 33 downwards to withdraw its pins 39 and to rotate the gear 33 to slightly eject the endmost seat cover 24. After this period of time has elapsed, before the seat cover 2 t may be readily pulled from the casing, the solenoid 2? is de-energized causing the yoke 29 to move upwards freeing the pin bar 258 to be urged upwards by the springs 35 and engage the bottom face of the toilet seat cover as the re- Means is provided for causing the seat covers 24 to be slowly pulled through the slot l4 giving the pins 39 ample opportunity to engage the endmost perforations of the line of perforations 25.

This means comprises a brake mechanism H mounted on the shaft 32 supporting the roll of toilet seats 2|. The brake mechanism is characterized by a brake drum 12 securely mounted upon the shaft 22 and encircled by a brake band 13 having a lug l4 securely mounted upon one wall of the casing by means of screws 15. The ends of the brake band 1 3 are directed away from the drum 12. A screw 16 is freely passed through one of these ends and threadedly engages an opening in the other of these ends,'permitting the ends to be drawn together as the screw 16 is rotated to control the frictional engagement of the brake 13 about the drum 12.

The operation of this device is as follows: To cause the endmost seat cover 24 to be projected through the slot I4 a coin 5| is passed into the receiving opening of the coin control mechanism IT. The coin-5| will close the switch 152' to energize the solenoid 55 and move the switch element 58 to close the contacts 59 and energize the solenoid 21. The core 28 of thesolenoid 21 will move downwards moving the yoke 29 also downwards. This downward movement will cause the pin bar 38 to be instantly moved downwards and will also rotate the feed rollers 25 to slightly eject the leading edge of the endmost toilet seat cover 24. After a certain periodof time has elapsed which is sufiicient to permit the end of the seat cover 24 to be properly projected from the slot M, the time switch 63 will operate to permit the switch element 58 to be moved to its open position and de-energize the solenoid 21.

This will permit the yoke 29 to also move back to its normal position, freeing the pin bar to cause its pins to engage the bottom face of the slightly ejected toilet seat. The projected end is then pulled and the rate of pulling is restrained- 1 i by the brake mechanism 1 I, and as the next line of perforations come into aligned position with the pins 39, the pins will project through the side perforations of this line of perforations, preventing further pulling on the endmost seat cover. However, the endmost seat cover will befree to be torn along the line of perforations to be separated from the roll. To eject the next seat cover another coin must be inserted into the receiving slot I5 and the above process will be repeated.

It is known that in a large percentage of the spread of diseases, such as: all forms of venereal diseases, skin infections, common colds, catarrh, influenza, tuberculosis, erysipelas, dysentery, gastric diseases, zymotic diseases, urogenital diseases, and other diseases the mode of infecting the human body is directly and definitely trace able to public lavatories. The object of this invention is to check this condition and to guard against spread of the above mentioned possible diseases.

This device may be placed in one of many places, with mutual benefit to the owner of the premises where this machine is located, and the user of th device.

' It may be installed in: public'comfort stations,

lavatories of organizations and institutions, semipublic lavatories, large ofi'ice buildings, hotels, factories, living quarters of workmens crews, armies, hospitals, gymnasiums, universities, etc.

Furthermore, this invention will eliminate the fearof using public and semipublic comfort stations. This fear is known to all, and if eliminated, such places will be used more frequently by even the most discriminating people.

The machine is enclosed so that the paper covers shall not be exposed to the foul odors of the room, and should be hung on the wall, high above the ground and not near the toilet seat proper. r

The toilet seat covers should be impregnated with a disinfectant, as an additional aid for the protection of the user against possible communicable diseases. I

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers, comprising a casing having a discharge slot for the toilet seat covers, a continuous strip of individual toilet seat covers which are separated from each other by lines of perforations, a pin bar extended along one side of said discharge slot and having pins engaging through one line of saidperforations, means for moving said pin bar to withdraw its pins from said perforations, means for slightly ejecting the toilet strip when freed of said pins, resilient means urging said pin bar to engage its pins against one side of said toilet seat strip, whereby said toilet seat strip may be pulledout until stopped by said pins engaging the next line of perforations, said means for slightly ejecting the toilet strip com-' prising a solenoid, a core extending from said solenoid and carrying a yoke, a pair of feed rollers engaging opposite sides of the seat coverf to be ejected, downwardly extended arms forming a part of said yoke and one arm being formed with gear teeth, a gear coaxially freely mounted adjacent one of said feed rollers and said toothed arm and engaged thereby, and means forlocking said gear to said roller for advancing said feed roller to eject said seat cover when said'yoke moves in one direction, and for idling when the yoke moves in the other direction.

2. A vendingmachine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers, comprising a casing having a discharge slot for the toilet seat covers, a continuous strip of individual toilet seat covers which are separated from each other by lines of perforations, a pin bar extended along one side of said discharge slot and having pins engaging through one line of said perforations, means for moving said pin bar to withdraw its pins from said perforations, means for slightly ejecting the toilet strip when freed of said pins, resilient means urging said pin bar to engage its pins against one side of said toilet seat stripfwhereby said toilet seat strip may be pulled out .until stopped by saidpins engaging the next'line of perforations, said means, for slightly ejecting the toilet strip comprising a solenoid, a core extending from said solenoid and carrying .a yoke, a pair of feed rollers engaging opposite sides of the seat cover to be ejected, downwardly extended arms forming-a part of said yoke and one arm being formed with gear teeth, a gear coaxially freely mounted adjacent one of said feed rollers and said toothed arm and engaged thereby, and means for locking said gear to said roller for advancing said feed roller to eject said seat cover when said yoke moves in one direction, and for idling when the yoke moves in the other direction, said latter means comprising a ratchet wheel fixedly mounted with relation to said feed roller on one side of said gear, and a spring pressed pawl mounted upon said gear and engageable with the teeth of said ratchet wheel.

3. A vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers, comprising a casing having a discharge slot for thetoilet seat covers, a continuous strip of individual toilet seat covers which are separated from each other by lines of perforations, a pin'bar extended along one side of said discharge slot and having pins engaging through one line of said perforations,rneans for moving said pin bar to withdraw its pins from said perforations, means for slightly ejecting the toilet strip when freed of said pins, resilient means urging said pin bar to engage its pins against one side of said toilet seat strip, whereby said toilet seat strip may be pulled out until stopped by said pins engaging the next line of perforations, said means for slightly ejecting the toilet strip comprising a solenoid, a core extending from said solenoid and carrying a yoke, a pair of feed rollers engagingopposite sides of the seat cover to be ejected, downwardly extended arms forming apart of said yoke and one arm being formed with gear teeth, a gear coaxially freely mounted adjacent one of said feed rollers and said toothed arm and engaged thereby, and means for locking said gear to said roller for advancing said feed roller to eject said seat cover when said yoke moves in one direction, and for idling when the yoke moves in the other direction, said means for moving said pin bar comprising arms mounted on the side arms of said yoke and engaging the top face of said pin bar, and means for resiliently mounting said arms upon said side arms permitting movement of said yoke independently of said arms after said pin bar is completely moved.

4. A vending machine for sanitary individual toilet'seat covers, comprising a casing having a discharge slot for the toilet seat covers, a continuous strip of individual toilet seat covers which are separated from each other by lines of perforations, a pin bar extended along one sideof said discharge slot and having pins engaging through one line of said perforations, means for "moving said pin bar to withdraw its pins from said perforations, means for slightly ejecting the toilet strip when freed of said pins, resilient means urging said pin bar to engage its pins against one side of said toilet seat strip, whereby said toilet seat strip may be pulled out until stopped by said pins engaging the next line of perforations, said means for slightly ejecting the toilet strip comprising a solenoid, a core extending from said solenoid and carrying a yoke, a pair of feed rollers engaging opposite sides of the seat cover to be ejected, downwardly extended arms forming a part of said yoke and one arm being formed with gear teeth, a gear coaxially' freely mounted adjacent one of said feed rollers and said toothed arm and engaged thereby, and means for locking said gear to said roller for advancing said feed roller to eject said seat cover when said yoke moves in one direction, and for idling when the yoke moves in the other direction, said means for moving said pin bar comprising arms mounted on the side arms of said yoke and engaging the top face of said pin bar, and means for resiliently mounting said arms upon said side arms permitting movement of said yoke independently of said arms after said pin bar is completely moved, said latter means comprising springs mounted within slots formed in said side arms and said arms having their top ends extended into said slots and engaged beneath said springs.

5. A vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers, comprising a casing having a discharge slot for the toilet seat covers, a continuous strip of individual toilet seat covers which are separated from each other by lines of perforations, a pin bar extended along one side of said discharge slot and having pins engaging through one line of said perforations, means for moving said pin bar to withdraw its pins from said perforations, means for slightly ejecting the toilet strip when freed of said pins, resilient means urging said pin bar to engage its pins against one side of said toilet seat strip, whereby said toilet seat strip may be pulled out until stopped by said pins engaging the next line of perforations, said pin bar being mounted adjacent the bottom of said discharge slot and having its pins extended upwards, and a bar mounted adjacent the top of said discharge slot and formed with openings into which said pins are extended.

6. A vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers, comprising a casing having a discharge slot for the toilet seatcovers, a continuous strip of individual toilet seat covers which are separated from each other by lines of perforations, a pin bar extended along one side of said discharge slot and having pins engaging through one line of said perforations, means for moving said pin bar to withdraw its pins from said perforations, means for slightly ejecting the toilet strip when freed of said pins, resilient means urging said pin bar to engage its pins against one side of said toilet seat strip, whereby said toilet seat strip may be pulled out until stopped by said pins engaging the next line of perforations, pins extending from the bottom wall of said casing and freely projected into openings formed in said pin bar, and certain of said pins being provided with coaxial expansion springs for urging said bar upwards and comprising said resilient means, and other of said pins being provided with collars for limiting downward movement of said, pin bar.

'7. A vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers, comprising a casing having a discharge slot for the toilet seat covers, a continuous stripof individual'toilet seat covers which are separated from each other by lines of perforations, a pin bar extended along one side of said discharge slot and having pins engaging through one line of said perforations, means for moving said pin bar to Withdraw its pins from said perforations, means for slightly ejecting the toilet strip when freed of said pins, resilient means urging said pin bar to engage its pins against one side of said toilet seat tsrip, whereby said toilet seat strip may be pulled out until stopped by said pins engaging the next line of perforations, and means for restraining the pulling of said endmost seat cover to insure the engagement of said pins with said perforations.

8. A vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers, comprising a casing having a discharge slot for the toilet seat covers,,a continuous strip of individual toilet seat covers which are separated from each other by lines of perforations, a pin bar extended along one side of said discharge slot and having pins engaging through one line of said perforations, means for moving said pin bar to withdraw its pins from said perforations, means for slightly ejecting the toilet strip when freed of said pins, resilient means urging said pin bar to engage its pins against one side of said toilet seat strip, whereby said toilet seat strip may be pulled out until stopped by said pins engaging the next line of perforations, and means for restraining the pulling of said endmost seat cover to insure the en'- gagement of said pins with said perforations, said continuous strip of individual seat covers being fixedly mounted upon a rotative shaft, and said latter means comprising a brake arranged in connection with said shaft.

9. A vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers, comprising a casing having a discharge slot for the toilet seat covers, a continuous strip of individual toilet seat covers which are separated from each other by lines of perforations, a pin bar extended along one side of said discharge slot and engaging through one line of said perforations, means for moving said pin bar to withdraw its pins from said perforations, means for ejecting said toilet seat when freed from said pins, resilient means urging said pin bar to engage its pins against one side of said toilet seat strip, whereby said toilet seat may be ejected until stopped by said pins engaging the next line of perforations, said means for moving said pin bar, comprising a slidably mounted rod having its bottom end resting upon the top face of said pin bar, said rod having its free top end projected into a coin chute to be engaged and depressed by a coin to lower said pin bar, and means for holding said coin in position over the top end of said rod until said seat cover has been moved to disalign said perforations and said. pins.

10. A vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers, comprising a casing having a discharge slot for the toilet seat covers, a continuous strip of individual toilet seat covers which are separated from each other by lines of perforations, a pin bar extended along the side of said discharge slot and engaging through one line of said perforations, means for moving said pin bar to withdraw its pins from said perforations, means for ejecting said toilet seat when freed from said pins, resilient means urging said pin bar to engage its pins against one side of said toilet seat strip, whereby said toilet seat may be ejected until stopped by said pins engaging the next line of perforations, said means for moving said pin bar, comprising a slidably mounted rod having its bottom end resting upon the top face of said pin bar, said rod having its free top end projected into a coin chute to be engaged and depressed by a coin to lower said pin bar, and means for holding said coin in position over the top end of said rod until said seat cover has been moved to disalign said perforations and said pins, comprising a second slidably mounted rod having its free top end projected into said coin chute to be engaged by the leading edge of said coin.

11. A vending machine for sanitary individual toilet seat covers, comprising a casing having a discharge slot for the toilet seat covers, a continuous strip of individual toilet seat covers which are separated from each other by lines of perforations, a pin bar extended along one side of said discharge slot and engaging through one line of said perforations, means for moving said pin bar to withdraw its pins from said perforations, means for ejecting said toilet seat when freed from said pins, resilient means urging said pin bar to engage its pins against one side of said toilet seat strip, whereby said toilet seat may be ejected until stopped by said pins engaging the next line of perforations, said means for moving said pin bar, comprising a slidably mounted rod having its bottom end resting upon the top face of said pin bar, said rod having its free top end projected into a coin chute to be engaged and depressed by a coin to lower said pin bar, and means for holding said coin in position over the top end of said rod until said seat cover has been moved to disalign said perforations and said pins, comprising a second slidably mounted rod having its free top end projected into said coin chute to be engaged by the leading edge of said coin, and means for permitting said second rod to move downwards to free said coin to roll off the top end of said first rod freeing said first rod and pin bar to move upwards.

HERMAN HALFIN. 

